SHANGHAI, Feb. 8 -- Cosplayers in China just hit an unexpected plot twist worthy of a Detective Conan cliffhanger.

According to Kyodo News, several major anime events in Beijing, Chongqing and Lanzhou have banned cosplay and merchandise tied to Detective Conan after a new crossover with My Hero Academia sparked online fury.

The collaboration - meant to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Detective Conan anime and the 10th anniversary of My Hero Academia - was supposed to be a sweet treat for fans.

The two manga creators even swapped illustrations of each other's iconic leads. Instead, it blew up into a cultural flashpoint.

Chinese critics slammed the crossover as "insulting to Chinese people," Kyodo News reported, reviving anger tow...